This invention relates to ready-to-assemble furniture capable of being assembled by the consumer without the need for tools, screws, nails or glue. The elements can be packaged and shipped disassembled. When assembled, the elements are rigidly, but removably, attached and have connection joints of enhanced structural strength and stability.
Furniture capable of assembly by the consumer, e.g., ready-to-assemble, is well known; however, such furniture assembly typically involves lengthy detailed assembly steps, which include the use of glue or other adhesives or the use of hand tools, screws, brackets or nails to fasten the elements together. The disassembly and reassembly of this furniture is often not practicable.
Certain ready-to-assemble furniture without such adhesives or the need for tools is also known. Such furniture, often called knock-down furniture, employs various surface-mounted or recess-mounted fastener clips and mating shoulder screws, such as the furniture described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,996,718, 4,178,047, 4,332,205, 4,470,716, 4,473,316, 4,474,493, assigned to Modular Systems, Inc. of Fruitport, Mich. The use of such clips as the only fastening means results in joints of less-than-desirable structural stability and also requires lengthy mating surfaces of the furniture parts being joined in order to give stability and strength to the overall furniture assembly.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide ready-to-assemble furniture without these disadvantages.